Three gems and a baby
by PariahDark
Summary: When Steven first came to be the gems had no idea what to do or where to go. But they each had to be strong and work together to not only raise Steven but adapt to their new roles.
1. Chapter 1

Nearly a month had passed since Rose gave up her physical form to bring Steven into the world and so far Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl and Greg and just barely managed to get a grip on their new reality. At first two of the gems had all but shut down, Pearl going into a full breakdown in her room and refusing to see anyone and Amethyst had just walked off saying she needed to deal with this. She'd returned a few days ago and while she acted like her old self she still sometimes had bouts of depression. The only gem that had bothered to come to Greg's van to see Steven was Garnet, but their interactions were also tense. She'd stare down at Steven as he rested and raise her arms to pick him up but every time her hands would start shaking as her duel selves panicked and she'd pull back before leaving mumbling the words "next time for sure."

Greg had barely managed to get the hang of parenthood. He'd bought what books he could as well as relying on his good friend Vidalia for the many things he didn't know. It took nearly a week after Amethyst came back before Garnet dragged her and Pearl out of the newly constructed house and down to Greg's van. Pearl stood there eyes red and distant with Garnet right behind her to prevent her from bolting. Amethyst on the other hand walked right over to Greg and got a better view of Steven. She'd only seen him once or twice.

"Why is he so small and chubby?" she asked gently poking his baby cheeks.

"He's a baby Amethyst. All human babies start small and then grow as they age. In a few months or so he'll probably be knee high." he saw the way she was looking and offered his hands out. "Want to hold him?"

"Uhhhh... you sure that's a good idea Greg?" she looked at the wriggling mess in a red blanket and felt a series of emotions. "I mean I'm not exactly gentle. Maybe Pearl would be better..." she looked to Pearl but all she saw was her distant gaze.

"You know what forget Pearl I'll do it." she took Steven in her arms and was amazed when he opened his eyes and raised his tiny arms in excitement before gurgling and making spit bubbles.

"Hey little man."

Garnet seeing Amethyst hold Steven made her smile. When she'd taken off she'd known thinks to future vision she would return but with the possibilities she didn't know in what shape she'd be in. But the fact that she was here and accepting Steven was good.

_Now if only we could get Pearl to come around. I know Rose meant the world to her but she has to accept that she's no longer here. We have to be strong for Steven._

The next few weeks went by and while Pearl had come out of her room she still wouldn't leave the temple without being forced. She was sitting at the counter when Garnet and Amethyst came out of the temple. "Pearl I trust you can watch the temple while we go on a mission?"

"A mission? Give me a second and I'll go."

"No, you'll have to stay here and watch Steven."

"Steven!? but he's not here, he's with Greg at nights you know this Garnet." Garnet simply pointed at the door and seconds later Greg came into view holding Steven and his care bag. He quickly shuffled in and gave Steven to a stunned Pearl.

"Thanks for agreeing to watch Steven tonight. Yellow tail asked for some help for a big fishing trip and I could really use the money. I should be back by tomorrow night or the day after that at the latest."

With Steven in her hands she started to protest but then she looked back up at Greg and was surprised by how bad he looked. His face was dark and sagging, his normally bright eyes were a dark shade of red and he looked like he was about to drop.

"Greg are you okay?" she asked more out of curiosity then concern.

"Oh yeah I'm fine, Steven just gets up a few times a night to cry and be fed so I haven't more then a few hours of..."

His eyes closed for a few moments and he began to snore. She looked to the others in disbelieve buy Amethyst only shrugged while Garnet stood silent.

"Greg!" He snapped awake and looked around startled before remembering what was happening.

"Sleep! that's it, so I'll see you later." Before she could stop him he left the house and walked down to the shore where Yellowtail was waiting with his boat.

Pearl turned back to her fellow gems hoping one of them would be willing to help.

"Anyone want to watch him?"

"Sorry Pearl but our mission requires my endurance to lava and Amethysts shapeshifting skills. Just take care of him for the night."

"But I..."

"No butts Pearl, Steven needs you to take care of him. We have supplies here and Greg has books down in his van. Besides if he's going to be with us in the future you'll need to bond with him now."

She could only stand there stunned as they vanished through the warpad leaving her alone with Steven. She held him up and eyed him over her eyes stopping at his gem.

"I can't see why Rose would give up her physical form to bring you into the world. Organic life has far to many flaws and she still had so much to do as Rose. So many mistakes to help make up for. We could have done it if she'd only given us time, we could have cured everyone. But instead she falls for a human and now you're here."

Steven being lifted in the air by Pearl smiled and wiggled his arms in excitement.

Pearl seeing this smiled a bit. "Well I guess you're not to bad. Now lets go see what I need to do to take care of you." She sat him down on the couch as she looked through Greg's care book.

"Well his handwriting is still flawed but at least he managed to write out everything I need to do. Step one is to make sure that you're fed." She grabbed the bottle and warmed it to the right temperature before handing it to Steven. "I still can't understand how you organics need to consume things to survive. Sure Amethyst does it but's that's more for amusement than anything else."

Steven tried to hold the bottle but it slipped out of his hands and onto the couch. Seconds later he began crying and thrashing on the couch.

"You can't even hold the food you need?" she sighed and picked him up guiding the bottle to his mouth. He instantly began feeding the moment it touched his lips.

"There you go, now make sure you drink the entire thing. Apparently you'll need to do this three or four times a night. No wonder your father needed a break, no doubt he'll use this fishing tip as an excuse to sleep." While she didn't like or care for Greg she at least could respect that he'd gone this long with his limited organic body and asked for help only when he had to.

As soon as he finished feeding she sat him down on the couch thinking that she could just leave him there for a few minutes now that he was fed. But as she took two steps away he pushed his body onto his arms and legs and started to somewhat crawl after her making various noises as he did.

She looked back annoyed just as he ran out of couch and started to fall. Seeing this she lunged forward and grabbed him by his onesie.

"Steven what do you think you're doing!? You could have gotten hurt!"

But Steven only reached up and touched her face and smiled.

"Looks like I'll have to keep a careful watch on you."

She then thought for a moment and realized that she knew little about organic life, babies especially. Then she remembered Greg's van and opened the door before walking down and opening the hideous thing.

In the past she'd offered to organize his mess into something tidy but he'd refused stating "My mess is part of my style" something that Amethyst had cheered about. The entire interior was covered in band posters, the floor was littered with empty bottles and diaper boxes. Although she did easily find the baby book sitting on top of his record player.

"Well at least he put the important thing someplace clean."

She sat down in a clean space and rapidly flipped through the book. When she was done she looked down at Steven her eyes filling with concern. " So much can go wrong with you. And I doubt your father can handle all this, he can't even go a few days with your schedule. But don't' worry I'm more then capable of taking care of you."

She patted his head making him squeal in delight.

"Prrl" he squealed catching her off guard.

"Did you just speak? You did didn't you! And it's my name, or at least part of it. I doubt you can say dad or Greg but you said my name first!" For the first time in a while she could fell herself filling with excitement at the thought of raising him.

"Just think I'll get to teach you everything I know."

She gently picked him up after a few minutes and began rocking him to sleep like it said to do in the book. Slowey his eyes began drooping until his breath began to slow and he fell asleep in her arms.

For the first time in weeks Pearl knew that she had something to look forward to. A reason to go on, Steven would need her to be strong and focused. But as she looked down at the tiny sleeping bundle in her arms she had one single thought that made her push him deeper into his chest.

_This time I won't let go of the thing I love._


	2. Chapter 2

When Garnet and Amythest returned from their mission they expected to find Pearl still moping on the sofa with Steven possibly off to the side and ignored. Instead as the light of the warp pad died down they saw Pearl rocking Steven to sleep in her arms. To say they were surprised would be an understatement. Amythest had of course asked what had happed in the hourse they had gone but Garent in her wisdom had merely said "Only what was bound to happen eventually."

That had been nearly a week ago and now the two seemed inseparable. Nearly every chance she got Pearl would go and all but steal Steven from Greg. Amythest at first hadn't really cared that Steven was there more, in fact she'd grown accustomed to having him at the house, that is until Pearl became overbearing and began to nag her about every little thing.

Like two days ago when she went up to Amythest after she'd just picked up Steven.

"_Amythest what are you doing!?"_

_Amythest looked at Pearl confused as Steven giggled. "What? I'm just holding him?_

"_Yes I can see that but why didn't you wash your hands first they're filthy. Don't you know how many germs my baby could be infected with now?"_

She'd quickly scooped up Steven to give him his third bath of the day. Or just yesterday when she'd tried feeding him. The food was just about to enter his mouth when Pearl once again screamed.

"_Amythest stop that!"_

_Amthest tilted her head annoyed "What I'm just feeding him breakfast. I'm even using the food you laid out for me."_

"_Yes but you're supposed to use a spoon, not shapeshift into a bird!"_

In her defense the baby birds she'd watched get feed like this seemed to like it. Now three days later they had the house to themselves. Greg was working all day and Garnet had dragged Pearl on a false gem hunt on the other side of the world. They two of them had talked and agreed that Pearl needed a break from Steven.

"Alright Stevey listen up. Now that hover Pearl is gone its time for you and me to bond it up. So, what do you want to do?"

Steven in his baby mind had simply stared at her before trying to put his onesie covered foot into his mouth.

Amythest looked down at him and for the first time wondered exactly what Steven was. The others had talked before about him, how he wasn't quite human but not quite a gem. Rose's gem was sticking out where his human belly button would be.

_Must admit I like the gem more then a belly button. Always found it strange how humans have that._

"You know what you and I are going outside. I mean you've barely been beyond Greg's car and this house. So I'm going to show you just how fun the world can be." In her excitement she scooped Steven up and was just about to the door when she remembered one of the many things Pearl had told her before Garnet had dragged her away.

"_Remember Amethyst, Steven is very frail and you need to be careful with him. Human babies are very susceptible to the outside world so please just let him stay in the safety of his little crib."_

Now Amethyst usually wasn't one for following the rules or listening to Pearl but something told her that this was important so she grabbed Pearls little list of notes before taking Steven through the warp pad and to one of Rose's favorite places.

"Welcome little man to your moms' fountain. Anytime something was bothering me I'd come here and relax. So what do you think?"

For the first time in meeting him Amethyst was surprised to see Steven being so still and silent. Usually he was emitting some kind of noise. But here he was turning his little head to take in everything he could.

"Yeah I had the same kind of effect when I first came here. In fact it wasn't to long after Rose first found me. I'd been alone for so long that when she took me back to the others I couldn't bare it and just kind of shut down. Next thing I know she's carrying me here and telling me how she was going to make sure I was always happy and safe. Can't tell you how many times she did something like that. Taking a situation and calming it down with just words and her presence."

She laid down next to Steven gently touching his gem. "And now she's gone."

Steven grabbed her fingers and began sucking it was gurgling. Amethyst couldn't help but laugh. "I swear you put about everything you can into your mouth, don't you?" Seeing this she got an idea and shapeshifted into a giant purple kangaroo slipping him into her pouch before hopping down one of the many rose filled paths while making sure to avoid the thorns.

"Alright Steven from now on I'm going to show you all the things Pearl hasn't. In fact, I'm going to let you do all things Pearl won't. I'll be the best… oh crap what was that word Greg had used again? Sib..sig… sister! Yeah that's it, I'll be your big sister and we'll have fun all the time."

Hoping off the side she picked up a rock unearthing one of her hiding spots. Under the rock there were a series of items including a few shiny rocks she'd picked up, a half-eaten bag of chips and a small picture of her and Rose.

Reaching down she picked up the bag and quickly popped a few into her mouth letting the flavor fill her mouth. "Mmmnnnn I have no idea why they stopped making this flavor. Sour green apple chips are the best. Just the right amount of sour and salty." Steven seeing something knew reached out his stubby fingers toward the bag. "Alright little man I'll give you one."

And she did after breaking off a piece into very small pieces and placing one in his mouth. His reaction was immediate, he spit it out and began to cry.

"Crap, sorry Steven should have mentioned they're an acquired taste." Steven cried his little lungs out making Amethyst panic. She'd only seen him cry like this twice and each time the only thing she' done is cover her ears and watch as Pearl took care of it. Not knowing what to do she reached into her gem pulling out the book of notes from Pearl quickly looking for what to do.

"Let's see what to do when Steven cries… step one check diaper." She pulled him out and after making sure he was clean, which he was, then she turned to step two. "If that fails rock him to sleep with a song."

Picking him up she began rocking him to sleep while singing the song Rose had sung when she had a bad day. As she sang Steven slowly began to calm down and become sleepy. By the time his eyes had nearly closed she'd taken him back through the warp pad and placed him into the crib Greg had brought. "Alright little man you get your sleep on while I make something special for you."

Taking one final glance at the sleeping Steven she went over to the fridge opening it and taking out the numerous baby foods. "Pumpkin, peach, apple. Geeze no wonder he didn't like my food Pearls been feeding him nothing but bland flavors. But I'll feed him awesome stuff."

After a quick trip to the city she came back with a box full of doughnuts and after devouring all but one of them took the last one and broke it down into a baby food like mush.

"There now he should be able to eat it." She then set it on the table before walking over to Stevens crib and jumping in as a small purple cat and curling up next to him.

"Don't worry little guy I'll always be here to make sure you grow up awesome."

Stevens' only response was to snuggle into her fur as he slept. When the other two finally returned Pearl was the first to leap out rushing around trying to find Steven. Garnet however knew exactly where the two would be and calmly made her way over as Pearl went into a mini panic after not immediately seeing them.

"Oh, Garnet where are those two?! I knew I shouldn't have left! Just look at the place the doors open, and the all his food is just sitting here. When I get my hands-on Amethyst, I swear I'll…"

After taking a breath she looked at Garnet who was smiling while looking into the crib. After seeing his red onesie Pearl rushed over and was taken back at the adorable sight of the two of them cuddling.

"You were saying Pearl?"

"Well… I guess she did pretty well."


	3. Chapter 3

As the days passed in the temple two of the three gems took turns caring for Steven whenever they got the chance. But while two of the three were overjoyed to have Steven crawling after them and spending their days interacting with him. The third and more stoic of the three had been off to the side always just out of reach and restraining herself. At first it hadn't been to noticeable as Pearl and Amethyst had grown used to Garnet being Garnet. But now with Steven thrown into the mix she was a bit more distant. Something Greg had brought up after dropping Steven off to an eager Pearl. He was just about leave when he saw her hands rubbing together as she watched Amethyst steal Steven and take him toward the beach. Of the three she'd always been the most normal so seeing her like this made Greg a bit worried.

"You okay Garnet?"

Normally she would have simply said "Fine." But her duel sides were quarreling about what to do. So, after a moment she sat down on the steps waiting for him to do the same before she spoke.

"Ruby and Sapphire are worrying. Normally their in sync but since Steven they've been unbalanced."

"Oh, right kind of forgot you're two people. Well…uhhhmmm…" he thought for a minute stroking his bushy beard before it came to him.

"Well why don't the two of you spend the day taking care of him. They say nothing brings people together like taking care of a kid."

She said nothing but inside her minds were weighing the options.

"_Well Ruby what do you think of his idea?"_

"_I don't know Sapphire, what if I overheat and hurt him. Or what if he freaks out when he doesn't see Garnet anymore?"_

"_All good questions Ruby, however like Rose once said sometimes we must stop thinking and simply act."_

"_Alright I'll do it."_

Her form began glowing before splitting in two as Ruby and Sapphire held hands.

"Greg, I trust that you have a plan for separating Steven from those two so that we may have our day?" Said Sapphire watching as Pearl went about making sure the sand wasn't too hot before gently placing Steven down before taking out a small pale and bucket for him.

"Yeah I know of a way that should work." He got up and walked down the sand waving the two of them over. "Hey, you two I could really use your help down at the car wash."

"And what could you possibly need our help with? Your car wash barely gets one vehicle a day. It's a miracle it's lasted this long."

He sighed knowing that there was only one way to get Pearl to help him. "Well here's the thing all the paperwork has been piling up and I need some help sorting it. And maybe helping me create a work schedule if it's not too difficult."

By the way her eyes lit up he knew he had her. If there was one thing he knew she liked it was organizing things. As she began going on about how she could finally get him disciplined he turned to Amethyst. "Also, the vending machine broke, and I need someone to get rid of all the snacks before they go bad."

"I'm in!" She said shifting into a gorilla before carrying him off. He looked back just in time to see Sapphire bending down to pick up Steven.

"Well now Steven I believe it's time you get to know us."

Steven being the excitable baby screeched when Sapphire picked him up. But as she raised him in the air and twirled in a small circle her powers kicked in and she had a vison about tripping and dropping him. "Oh no…" she said just as her foot snagged and her vison came to be. Her one eye widened as she watched Steven sail a few feet in the air before gently falling into her ever faithful partners arms.

"Woah there Steven you're far too young to fly. Best you stay here with Ruby and Sapphire."

Ruby smiled her usual cheeky grin which made Sapphire laugh as she dusted herself off and patted Steven on the head. "Well it seems he likes us."

"IT's too early to tell, he could just as easily be excited from seeing someone new. How about we take him inside now, I've seen that he'll grow hungry soon."

Making their way inside Ruby quickly sought out the weird device that she'd seen Pearl go on and on about. "Ah ha found it!" Already knowing what it was but loving to indulge her she faked her surprise when Ruby turned around to show her carrying Steven on her back with a sling.

"Check it out Sapphire I'm Pearl!"

Even though she'd seen it coming she couldn't stop herself from laughing as Ruby went about the room mocking imitating Pearl.

"Alright my little red Pearl. Let me see our little bundle of joy." As soon as Steven was in her hands she sat down on the couch and activated her powers. With her future vison she saw brief glimpse of him as he grew up, there were some images she couldn't quite understand.

_Why is he crying over ice cream snacks?_ Another one quickly came showing him playing with a dark skinned human girl which made her smile. _Awwwww he made a friend._

While others showed her as garnet watching a slightly older Steven sleep while clutching a stuffed bear.

She was so caught up in her visions she failed to hear Ruby's warnings about Steven until it was too late. With one yank from his stubby hands Sapphire felt her head being pulled down.

"Ouch!"

Taking a moment to calm herself she gently freed her hair from his fingers before leaning down. "Steven it's not nice to pull hair alright?"

But Steven instead of understanding was clapping his hands together as he wiggled his feet.

"I think he just wanted some attention. Wait I have an idea!" rushing into the temple or more precisely Amethyst's room she came back holding a strange little doll.

"Ruby what is that?"

"A puppet Amethyst got it when she went to that one burger place. Kids love puppets shows." Bending down she lowered the puppet, so it looked like it was floating before calling out Steven's name in a hitch pitch voice. "Hey Steven, I'm fuzzball and I want to play."

As Ruby had predicated once Steven noticed the tiny doll being moved, he let out his loudest screech as he watched it move and dance. After a few minutes his eyes began to droop and like a tired baby he fell asleep in Sapphire's arms.

"Looks like he's all tuckered out."

"You know he's pretty cute when he's still. Why is it we can hold him, but Garnet can't?"

But even as they asked, they already knew the answer. "Because Ruby it's not just holding Steven that scares us, scares Garnet. It's knowing that she'll have to hold the team together that holds her back. After all, with Rose…" she might know it but she still couldn't bring herself to say it. "With Steven here instead of his mother Garnet is now the leader. She has to stay calm and focused just to keep the others from worrying."

She hadn't noticed until she felt Ruby's slightly flaming hand on her arm that she'd slightly frozen the area around her. Ruby lifted her hair showing her one slightly damp eye. She smiled and wiped away the forming tear before hugging her. "I know Sapphire and I miss her to. She was there for us in the beginning. Always telling is how wonderful we were to be a fusion."

She stepped back and began walking in a slight panic circle heating up with every step her footprints starting to smoke on the wood. "So, what if now we have to carry on without her, try to raise Steven as best we could. I mean it's not like we're constantly panicking about everything that could go wrong."

This time it was Sapphire to lend a soothing hand as she guided Ruby to the crib where Steven was sleeping. "I know Ruby, but we'll do this like we always do."

"Yeah together."

The held hands and fused back into Garnet before reaching down and gently stroking his cheek. "Get your sleep Steven. But always remember that I'll always be here to help guide you through tomorrow."

And she knew that was a promise she would keep. Not just to Steven but to the other two. They would all need her. Turning her head she smiled back at the picture of Rose on the wall. "Well Rose looks like we all just became the greatest fusion of all. And it's called a family."


End file.
